Department of Sustainable Development

Our mission

The objective of the DSD/OAS and its Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change Section (RISK-MACC) is to support the priorities of the OAS Member States in adapting to and managing the risk associated to natural hazards by providing them with technical and policy recommendations related to Natural Hazard Risk Management with the purpose of mainstreaming Risk Management into development policy and planning. The purpose of this Programmatic Framework for Action is to guide the DSD/OAS action, taking into account relevant OAS mandates and directives, the changing priority needs of member countries; related work underway at the international and regional levels, including through the UN System; and building upon the experience and comparative advantage of the DSD/OAS.

The DSD/OAS takes a two-fold approach: to support the regional implementation of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Hyogo Framework for Action as well as the implementation of the IACNDR-IASP, its follow-up and update, and inter-agency coordination for its implementation; and to advance bottom-up approaches that support local community resilience-building efforts, the strengthening of vulnerability reduction, and fostering the establishment of multi-lateral agreements, conventions and other legal and administrative instruments for joint cooperative efforts.

RISK-MACC integrates the key objectives of risk reduction with OAS fundamental goals –that emerge from the OAS Charter and the OAS Democratic Charter: “good” governance; poverty alleviation and increasing potential job and income opportunities; and the strengthening of democracies; all as integral goals to reduce the risk posed by natural hazards.

Good governance, including sound public participation and involvement, transparency and accountability is key to reducing natural disasters. Responsible public participation results in self-awareness and assessment of risk, and consequently, results in more resilient and prepared communities. In addition, it provides for complementary job and income sources during quiet periods, and alternative employment opportunities when a disaster strikes, providing for poverty alleviation and inequities reduction. Sound, active and responsible participation of community members also fosters transparency and accountability in the administration of emergency assistance. Capacity building and institutional strengthening at all levels, but particularly, at local level is essential to reducing natural disasters, as local governments and organized civil society groups are the first to respond in a disaster and are better positioned to raise awareness and self-assessment of risk, prepare for and prevent natural disasters. For all this to happen, sound public policies needs to be in place, from the national or central government down to local governments. Regional policy, in addition, provides for a more efficient use of scarce resources and for replication of successful stories.

The DSD-NHRRP supports the implementation of the IACNDR-IASP, its follow-up and update, and inter-agency coordination for its implementation. It further collaborates with the UN/ISDR in promoting the development of a Regional Platform of the Hyogo Framework for Action, focused on disaster preparation and prevention.

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